Automatic carbonating apparatus



Jan. 21, 1947. P. H. PHILLIPS 2,414,607

AUTOMATIC CARBONATING APPARATUS 'Filed Jan. 19, 1944 INVENTOR.fz'Zq'pbfliZZajzs BY 7 Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE1 Claim.

The present invention relates to carbonating apparatus especiallyadapted for dispensing carbon dioxide efiervescing liquid.

More specifically the invention relates to a carbonating device which isparticularly intended for use where space limitations require a compactmixing and dispensing unit such as in soda fountains and coin vendingmachines.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact carbonating unithaving a relatively small chamber in which is housed means of theinstantaneous absorption type for mixing the liquid and the gas; meansfor automatically controlling the flow of liquid to the mixing means andthe level of the carbonated liquid within the chamber, and means foreffecting a reduction in the pressure ofthe carbonated liquid tosubstantially atmospheric pressure as the liquid is dispensed from thechamber.

Another aim of the inve ntion is to provide a carbonatin'g unit .of thecharacter described and wherein ebullition and disturbances within thecarbonating chamber will not efiect or disturb accurate and consistentperformance of the automatic controlling means.

Another object is to provide a device of the aforementioned type Withoutany moving parts and so constructed that it can be readily assembled ordisassembled .when servicing is required.

A further object is to provide a small, compact and effectivecarbonating unit which is of simple construction and which may bemanufactured at low cost.

Other objectswill be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown one embodiment whichthe present invention may take:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through an apparatus embodying theinvention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the connections between theinlet flow and the automatic controlling means.

Referring to the drawing, the unit comprises a relatively small maincasing 19 of cylindrical cross section having a top closure l2 andbottom closure M, all defining a main chamber A. About the casing is ashell i5 and between the walls of the casing and shell is suitableinsulation IT. The shell is shown only in part in Fig. '1;

Arranged in the top closure I2 is a threaded Opening M5 for receiving athreaded plug l8. The plug l 8 has a top threaded bore '20 and a bottomthreaded bore 22 concentric with but of larger diameter than the topbore. Fitted within the top bore is the threaded end of a water inletpipe 24, which pipe leads from a pump 26 (Fig. 2). The pump is adaptedto draw water from any suitable pre-cooled source (not shown). Securedwithin the lower bore 22 is an instantaneous absorption type mixingmeans 28 of the kind disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.504,138, filed September 28, 1943. Also arranged within the top closurel2and adjacent the means 28 is a second opening 30 for receiving thethreaded end of a carbon dioxide gas inlet pipe 32,'which' pipeconnectsto a conventional supply cylinder or drum having suitable reducingmeans, the same not being shown as itis well known in the art.

The mixing means 28 is fully described in the above mentionedapplication, Serial No. 504,138, and for an understanding" of thepresent invention itis suificient to point out that upon water passingthrough the venturi section thereof, the carbon dioxide gas enteringchamber A through inlet 32 will b drawn through inlet openings 36 inmeans 28 and entrained by the water, with the resulting eifervescentmixture discharged through the lower end of means 28 into the mainchamber A.

In order to automatically control th flowoi liquid to the mixing meansand the level of the carbonated liquid within the chamber A, a shortmetallic probe or electrode 42 and a long ,metallic probe or electrode44 depend intothecas'ing and are'operatively connected to apump or othermeans for establishing the flow of liquid through the inlet pipe 2 3. Inthe present instance, these electrodes are carried by and extend througha holder which is screwed into a threaded open ing 38 in the top closureI2, and the electrodes are connected by connectors 46 to a suitablerelay 48 (Fig. 2) which, in turn, controls the operation of the pump 26.The operative form of relay circuit shown in the patent to Warrick, No.

l,979,12'7, dated October 30; 1934, may be em- 'ployed.

With this arrangement, when the carbonated liquid in chamber A reaches alevel where both probes are partially immersed, the relay 48 will act tocut out the pump 26 and carbonation will stop, and when the liquid isdrawn off, so that the level thereof drops, carbonation will be resumed.

It will be noted at this point that top closure l2 provides a commonsupport for the mixing means 28, the gas inlet pipe 32, the electrodeholder 40 and also the hereinafter described tube 52 and form therewitha complete sub-assembly permitting ready assembly of the parts on theclosure and subsequent location of the closure l2 on the casing ID withproper positioning of all parts.

In view of thejfact that considerabl agitation and ebullition will occurin the chamber A due tothe force with which the carbonated water issuesinto the chamber from the mixing device, and such agitation andebullitionwould, unless prevented, result in faulty operation oftheautothe tube may be secured to the closure l2 in anysuitable manner asby means of welding, as in- (heated at 50. The sleeve 54, in the presentini st'ance', is concentric with, but of larger diameter than, the tube52. The lower end otthe' sleeve ispi'ovided with a flange 55 whichissecured between the bottom'clo'su're l4 andf'a header 5'! secured totheunder side of the bottomlclosure by i,

bolts 59. The upperend of thesleeve overlaps the lowerend of the tube 52and is flared inwardly so 'as to define a restricted annular opening 56which forms a-vent between the auxiliary chamher and the main chamber.Openings 58 are provided adjacent the top of the tube 52 for venting theinterior thereof to thechamber A. The sleeve 54 is provided withopenings 5| located slightly above the bottom of the chamber A andthrough which the carbonated liquid flows from that chamber tothe bottomof the chamber B.

By providing the auxiliary chamber B, it will be seen that the liquidwithin this chamber will remain relatively quiet I and undisturbed byagitation within "chamber A. In this way accurate fluid control will bemaintained as the contrel means will be responsive to the true'level ofthe liquidwithin the device. A ffThe-carbonated hquid is withdrawn fromthe apparatus as desired through an outlet passage fizinjthe header-.51to which is connected quick opening valve 6 3 of any conventionaldesign. As the carbonated liquid within'the apparatus will beaboveatmospheric pressure and it is desirable to dispense the same atatmospheric pressure, there is provided within the bottom of the chamberB an outlet flow control means comprising a pressure restrictor 60 whichmay be of the type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.

.4 509,883, filed November 11, 1943. The lower end of the restrictor isthreaded, as at 64, so as to be screwed into the header 51. As describedin my said co-pending application Serial No. 509,883, the restrictorhas, extending therethrough, a large number of individual, like channelsparallel to one another, and each having a small mean hydraulic radius.These channels, at their upper ends, communicate with the chamber B and,at their lower ends, with the outlet passage 62. Obviously, any suitabledesign of restrictor, capable of meeting the specific pressure droprequirements, can be employed.

Aspreviously. indicated, casing I0 is relatively small and apar-ticularadvantage of the structure is that the compact arrangement, eliminationof moving parts, and location of the control means within a quiet zonepermit the making of a very small device. In fact, the structure shownmay have a diameter of four and one-half inches and a height of eightinches. As a result, the apparatus particularly lends itself forinstallation in soda fountains, coin vending machines, or in otherdevices Where very little space is available. As many changes couldbemade in the above construction and many apparently widely diiierentembodiments of this invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter. contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and. not in a limiting sense. 7

It is also to beunderstood ,that the. language used in the followingclaim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific vfeatures ofthe invention herein described and all statements of the scope of theinvention which, as a matter of language, might be said to falltherebetween.

I claim as my invention: H 1 In a device of the character described, amain chamber, means for supplying gas to the main chamber, carbonatingmeans of the instantaneous absorption type located in the main chamberand suspended from the top Wall thereof, means for supplying a liquidunder pressure to said oarbonating means, a vertical and generallytubular auxiliary chamber located in saidfmain chamber and communicatingtherewith, a pair of probes depending into said auxiliary chamber andoperatively associated with said liquid supply means 7 and responsive tothe level of liquid within the auxiliary chamber for controlling theflow of liquid to said carbonating means, a valved outlet leading fromthe bottom of said auxiliary chamber, and a pressure restrictor locatedin the bottom of said auxiliary chamber and associated with said valvedoutlet.

PHILIP H. PHILLIPS.

